Thursday, December 22, 2016

Five ships ordered to STX France for 4 billion euros – Figaro

The shipyard STX of Saint-Nazaire has just received a big order of its customers, Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, and MSC Cruises. This command represents 35 million hours of work.

Still a good news for the shipyard STX France of Saint-Nazaire. The latter has received on Wednesday the command of five ships to the destination of its customers, Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited and MSC Cruises The minister of Economy and Finance, Michel Sapin, and the secretary of State in charge of Industry, Christophe Sirugue, are “delighted” in a press release of this announcement, which represents approximately € 4 billion of orders, and $ 35 million of work hours.”

Three of the vessels will be delivered to the ship owner american Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited (RCCL), in which STX has already delivered last may, the largest ocean liner in the world, Harmony of the seas and that is already build his twin brother at Saint-Nazaire. In detail, this new order is a new ship of the Oasis class. Long of 362 meters, with 2,750-passenger cabins that can accommodate more than 6000 people, these ships are the Oasis class the largest in the world, ” says STX in a press release. This new maxi-liner will be available in mid-2021.

Two other smaller vessels will also be delivered to Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited in 2021 and 2022. There are two units in the class “Edge”, equipped with 1450 cabins which can accommodate 2,900 people. These two units are in addition to the first two of this class currently in design at Saint-Nazaire and which are to be delivered in 2018 and 2020, under a previous order of RCCL.

For the swiss-Italian MSC Cruises, the order consists of two ships of the class Meraviglia-More available in fall 2019 and fall 2020. Two ships of this class are already under construction in Saint-Nazaire. With 2250 cabins, they must be delivered to MSC Cruises, the first in the spring of 2017 and the second in the spring of 2019. The two new ocean liners will, however, be fitted with 200 cabins additional.

According to STX France, these new orders will bring in $ 75 million the total number of working hours for STX France, taking into account the construction of two electric sub-stations, an activity in which the shipyard is committed.

STX France, which employs 2600 employees, is held at 66.6% by the Korean group STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, and at 33,3% by the French State. As its majority shareholder, STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, placed into receivership since may, STX France has been officially put on sale by the justice of south korea on 19 October. The candidates to the takeover of STX France have until December 27 to submit their bids to the court of Seoul. The three candidates, the Dutch Damen, the Italian Fincantieri and the asian group-Genting Hong Kong, have visited about a month ago from the shipyard of Saint-Nazaire, according to a source association.

“” shipyard STX: first round for buyers

The secretary of State for Industry Christophe Sirugue had said in early November that the government would prefer a buyer in the industrial to buy STX France, and would see a good eye to a participation of the French DCNS. The latter has never shown his interest in the shipyards of Saint-Nazaire, but it might take a minority stake.